Vietnam vs India: Three Key Battles to watch out for in AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 clash

India begin their AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 campaign against Vietnam.

The Indian women’s football team are looking for a positive start to their 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup campaign, when they face off against Vietnam in their opening game on Wednesday (4 March, 2026). The Blue Tigresses have qualified for a Women’s Asian Cup edition for the first time since 2003, and they will look to make most use of it by producing some memorable performances.

Amelia Valverde, however, will need her experienced players to step up in order for India to really take the fight to a tough Vietnam side. The India vs Vietnam clash, which will be the first group game for either side in the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup, should end up being a feisty and intense encounter where both sides of players fight hard for victory.

However, there could be a few particular battles on the pitch that can decide which team reigns supreme. As both team boast having influential players in key areas of the pitch, the duel between these inspired individuals should make for a fascinating and entertaining battle. Here, we look at the three key battles to watch out for in the Vietnam vs India clash in the Women’s Asian Cup.

3. Pham Hai Yen vs Sweety Devi

It’s not really a secret that Vietnam are likely to dominate the majority of the possession against India, and they will definitely go with an attack-first mentality. The Golden Star Women Warriors will be constantly looking to create innovative chances, and the player who will be focused on finishing off the delivery will be their striker, Phan Hai Yen.

The 31-year-old is the third-highest goal-scorer of all time for Vietnam women’s side, with 57 goals at the international scene. She can be a menacing threat with her pace, off-the-ball movement and clever positioning in the final third.

As a result, it’ll be of paramount importance for Sweety Devi to produce a really sturdy display in order to neutralize Hai Yen’s threat. The Indian centre-back must work hard to mark the opposition forward tightly, getting stuck close to her and not giving the Vietnamese forward any room to shoot at her goal. Because of Hai Yen’s element of surprise with her movement and finishing, as well as Sweety Devi being a rugged and hard-working defender, this battle should be an intriguing one and whoever wins it can provide a major boost for their side.

2. Sangita Basfore vs Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy

Sangita Basfore played a crucial role in helping India earn their place at the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup, scoring four goals in their qualification campaign, which included an inspired match-winning brace against Thailand. The East Bengal midfielder is the heartbeat of the Indian women’s team midfield, playing with her heart on her sleeve and being a highly industrious figure in the midfield. She will play a crucial role in deciding whether India can really hold their own against tough opposition in the Women’s Asian Cup, and that starts with the battle against Vietnam.

Basfore will come up against the highly experienced Vietnamese midfielder Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy in the midfield battle, and she needs to prepare for a challenging task. Bich Thuy has made 87 appearances for Vietnam and scored 25 international goals in her career, being a vibrant and highly energetic figure in the midfield. As the midfield battle could decide where the tides move in the game, the duel between Basfore and Bich Thuy should be a thrilling one. The East Bengal midfielder has to be at her proactive best in terms of tracking the runs of her opponent as well as reading the Vietnam play properly to make crucial possession recoveries and get her side on the attack. If Bich Thuy is given too much freedom, she could easily run the show for her side and get Vietnam to properly dominate proceedings against India.

1. Manisha Kalyan vs Le Diem My

Manisha Kalyan is definitely going to have a lot of responsibilities on her shoulder for the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup, as the Indian team needs her to be at her unpredictable best to help them pull off a special story.

Kalyan has tons of international experience as she’s been playing in foreign leagues for the last few years, and that is why she’ll be expected to be a driving force for the Blue Tigresses in the competition. However, Kalyan can expect to face a sturdy task in the Vietnam clash, as she’ll have to face off against the hard-working defender Le Diem My.

Manisha will need to be clever with her movement and trickery to get past the defender, who is renowned for making crucial challenges and frustrating opposition forwards. Manisha has to bring her best to the plate against Vietnam, which not only includes her movement, but also in terms of her delivery into the final third and taking up her chances with efficient finishing.

The Vietnam defender, however, will be bent on marking her out of the game and the sheer back-and-forth in this battle could make for an exciting display, with Kalyan needing to win it to enhance India’s chances of getting a positive result.

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